Toll Road to go electric

Operating firm plans to finish $40 million project by September.

Operating firm plans to finish $40 million project by September.

November 22, 2006|JOSHUA STOWE Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Drivers will be able to use electronic passes on any stretch of the Indiana Toll Road by September, the company that operates the road has announced. The pass, similar to the I-PASS available in Illinois, will give users a discount on higher tolls that are coming, said Matt Pierce, a spokesman for ITR Concession Co. It will be the result of a $40 million electronic toll collection project mandated by the Toll Road lease and will give motorists a faster, more convenient drive, he said. "The No. 1 benefit is their ability to get through the toll plaza," Pierce said. "They want consistent, smooth travel. This is one more step that gets them to that." How it works Here's how electronic toll collection works, Pierce said:

A consumer pays an initial deposit fee to get a transponder. Pierce said he couldn't provide an exact cost for the device, but estimated it at $10.

ITR Concession Co. charges the consumer's card for that fee and another $40, which is put into an electronic toll collection account.

The transponder records the consumer's Toll Road use, and money is withdrawn from the ETC account.

When the ETC account has only $10 left, the consumer's credit card is automatically charged so that the account has $40 again.

If the consumer decides to turn in their transponder in good working order, they receive their deposit fee back.

Having an ETC account gives the consumer a 40 percent discount on the higher tolls that drivers will face after electronic tolling is fully implemented.

A project timeline The project will cover both major segments of the Toll Road, Pierce said. The first segment, which stretches from Mile Marker 23 near Portage to the Illinois border, uses the barrier system. That means users must pay as they enter or exit, Pierce said. The second segment -- the rest of the 157-mile highway -- uses the ticket system, Pierce said. That means users take a ticket when they enter and pay when they exit. The first portion will be finished by May, Pierce said, and the second will be done by September. ITR Concession Co. will begin offering transponders in the spring, Pierce said. The company will allow people to buy them on its Web site, at www.indianatollroad.org. It will also set up a call center so customers can order by phone, and it may sell transponders at local retailers, he said. Staff writer Joshua Stowe: jstowe@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6359